


The charm about you

by sableflynn



Category: Original Work
Genre: Captivity, Dancing, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Consensual Touching, Recovery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22034695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sableflynn/pseuds/sableflynn
Summary: A simple dance can bring out so many different emotions.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 3





	The charm about you

“Felicia, wanna dance?”

Marcus stood before her, hand outstretched, a goofy grin on his face. 

His cheeks were flushed pink; he must have had a few drinks. Then again, so had she. As the snow was piling up outside, Anna simmered some mulled wine, Kailo found some music, and they had thrown together an impromptu celebration for the end of the year.

Grinning, Felicia set aside her drink and took Marcus’s hand. The music was fast, swingy, cheeky. She stumbled as he pulled her closer, but quickly found her footing and moved her other hand to his back. Then they began to move together around the room, clumsy, imperfect, full of life. 

She spun out of his arms, and in, and out again. Their hands came apart and together as they twirled and swung. Flushed with the exhilaration of the dance and the heat of the wine she’d had, Felicia overreached her spin and nearly slammed into Cedric, watching from the sidelines. Marcus pulled her back, and the two erupted into laughter. 

The music filled her heart, and for the moment nothing else mattered. Their feet moved together to the lively drums and piano as the bright, irreverent singing cut through any other thoughts Felicia might have had. All she felt was the music coursing through her, the arms of her friend swinging her into another spin. She was free of the constant crushing weight of responsibility she carried with her every day, and she was flying across the floor. 

Marcus’s face was flushed and he was breathless from laughter. As the song ended, Felicia leaned into him, and he tilted her back into a dramatic dip. She shrieked with fake fear and threw her arms around him to avoid falling, dizzy from spinning and laughing. For a heartbeat they looked at each other, mirrored expressions of joy on their faces. Then the next song began and Marcus gently pulled her back to standing, giving a flourished bow as he did so. She returned with a bow of her own, still smiling, her heart full of the warmth and love and safety of her friends around her. 

***

“Dance with me, Felicia.”

Volkan stood over where she was seated, his dinner half-finished and abandoned on the table. 

She blinked up at him. “You broke my ankle.” He had thrown her down and stomped on her leg until it cracked and she was a sobbing mess on the ground. Then he had scooped her up in his arms and brought her to have dinner with him as if nothing happened. 

“I’ll hold you up.” He was already taking her hand and pulling her to a stand. The music was a mournful waltz, sparse instrumentation and a rich, yearning voice in a language Felicia didn’t understand. Standing on her good leg, Felicia gingerly placed her hands on his shoulders, desperate to keep some space between their bodies. 

He laughed and pulled her closer, until their bodies were pressed together and his hand was on the small of her back. “Now now, Felicia, I know you know this dance.” She turned her face away from him, but he took the opportunity to brush his lips against her ear. “This is how we danced when we first met, after all.”

Then he began to glide across the floor with her in his arms. Her movements were jerky, uncoordinated, and she was forced to lean her weight on him to avoid her bad ankle. The pain in it still throbbed in time with her pounding heart, and she bit her lip as a tear rolled down her cheek. He slid his leg between hers as he pivoted them, and she couldn’t stop the small gasp of fear that escaped her lips. He hummed in pleasure at the sound. 

The music swelled as they crossed the floor, strings plucking out the rhythm as the singer’s voice rose to a heartbreaking wail. Felicia let the music wash over her, taking her away from the pain in her ankle and the press of Volkan's hands against her skin. She lost herself in the sound, letting herself believe she was anywhere else, that she was floating out of this body, that she wasn’t living this life of constant pain and fear and touches. The singer’s lone voice reverberated in her heart, reaching her beyond whatever meaning the words might have. It was a distillation of everything she had suffered since she and Volkan had last danced like this, a lifetime ago. 

As the final notes faded out, he pressed against her back and bent her into a low dip. She clung to him, trembling from the effort of holding herself up. He gazed down at her, a possessive gleam in his eyes as his thumb brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "Beautiful," he whispered, lowering his head to press a kiss into the hollow of her neck. She shut her eyes, giving in to his inevitable touch. 

***

"Would you like to dance, love?" 

Elyse stood beside her, her face half-illuminated by the moonlight slanting through the window. 

Felicia set aside the cup of tea she had been making and studied Elyse’s face. Her eyes were wide and honest, her expression gentle and patient. _I’m safe. No one is going to make me do anything I don’t want to ever again._ It had been months, but Felicia still needed to remind herself every day that she was free.

Knowing it was her own choice, knowing Elyse has no expectations and would force nothing on her, Felicia said “yes,” and took her hand.

The music was sweet and sentimental, the singer’s voice tender and warm. Elyse shifted her posture, her other hand hesitating in the air. “Do you want to lead…?”

Felicia took Elyse’s hand and guided it to the small of her back, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I’ll follow.” _I trust you._

As Elyse’s warm hand pressed into her back and they began to move in unison, Felicia felt as if a dam inside her had burst open. This touch was gentle, and loving, and _wanted_. She needed this closeness, needed to be held by someone she loved and who loved her. Leaning into the touch, she pulled Elyse as close as she could. Elyse followed her silent cue and pressed into her until they were swaying as one. 

They didn't spin or move around the room. They rocked in place, lost in each other's warmth. The music washed over them, and for the moment they were all that existed in the world. Felicia reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from Elyse's face and let her hand linger for a heartbeat on her cheek. Elyse leaned into the touch, shutting her eyes. 

As the music swelled, Felicia began to softly sing along. Her voice was breathy, choked with emotion, but at the sound Elyse smiled and joined in with her velvety alto. Haltingly, the two found the melody and harmony, their voices weaving together to add to the tapestry of music. 

At the final note, Elyse gently pressed into Felicia's back, lowering her into a dip. Felicia leaned back, her hands winding in Elyse's beautiful hair, overcome with desire and absolute trust. She didn't realize she was crying until Elyse brushed a tear from her face. 

"I love you," Elyse whispered. 

"I love you." Felicia leaned her face up to close the distance between them and press a tender kiss to Elyse's lips. She was home. 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't want to include lyrics in the story because it was less about the lyrics and more about the emotions and moods of the songs, but if you're curious about what songs I listened to while writing this: the first part is "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Ella Fitzgerald; the second is "No Me Quitte Pas" by Nina Simone; the third is "Moon River" by Audrey Hepburn.


End file.
